Create a Shortcut to ‘Windows Update’ in Windows 8.1

I’ve been noticing, with some amusement, the complicated instructions posted by other tech sites on how to create a desktop shortcut to Windows Updates in Windows 8.1. Although their method will ultimately work okay, it is unnecessarily convoluted, involving numerous steps to get to the desired result.

Accessing Windows Update in Windows 8.1 is not an overly complicated process anyway; just type “Windows Update” while in the Start Screen and a list of options will be presented for you to choose from, including the main Windows Update app. However, if you’re anything like me, you’ll appreciate an even quicker way via desktop shortcut.

Contrary to the majority of advice out there, this is an extremely simple process… here’s how:

Go to Control Panel – the simplest way to do that, if you haven’t created a shortcut, is to right click on the Start button or simultaneously press the Windows + X keys to bring up the ‘Quick Access’ menu, then click Control Panel.

If your Control Panel looks like this…

Access the “View by” drop down menu and select one of the “icons” options.

Now scroll down and locate the Windows Update entry, right click Windows Update and from the ensuing menu select “Create shortcut”:

That’s all there is to it.

As you can see from the above screenshot, you also have an option to ‘Pin to Start” which will place a shortcut (tile) on the Start Screen.

UPDATE:

A couple of readers have pointed out that Windows Update is also readily accessible by right clicking on the ‘Action Center’ icon in the system tray:

I admit, I’d actually forgotten about that one. Many thanks to Dandl and Robert for reminding me.

About the Author

Jim is the resident freeware aficionado at DCT. A computer veteran with 30+ years experience who first started writing about computers and tech back in the days when freeware was actually free. His first computer was a TRS-80 in the 1980s, he progressed through the Commodore series of computers before moving to PCs in the 1990s. Now retired (aka an old geezer), Jim retains his passion for all things tech and still enjoys building and repairing computers for a select clientele... as well as writing for DCT, of course.

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